Hello everyone! Happy Friday and a big welcome to Moments Spent with God…through the Risen Hope Ministries! I’m so happy that you were able to join me today and I pray that you will have a day that is truly blessed by God!You know…it’s hard to believe that we are now ending another week! Sometimes, I stop and think to myself…where did that week go and then after a few minutes, I answer my own question by saying… “Diane, your week went into your work…that’s why it went fast!”I don’t know about you but this week for me has been a very busy one! Sometimes, I stop and think to myself…I really need two Diane’s; but then God reminds me that I have Him and then I think to myself…God is much better than two Diane’s any day.Seriously though…have you ever stopped to think what your week would be like without God? I don’t think that I would ever want to know. In fact, as I’m sitting here right now, I am thinking back to moments in my week, when I know without a doubt; that I would have never made it to this point without God. Let’s admit it…God is definitely everything…for everything we need. I think that sometimes, we just need to see it that way, rather than focusing on everything that goes wrong in a week.One thing I can say for sure, as I’m ending my week; is that this has been a week, for leaning on a strong God. I remember times in the past, when I would lean immensely on my problems; but I found through time; that they only became a set of broken down crutches; that were only leading me to a greater fall. I wonder why we tend to lean on weakness, rather than a strong and mighty God…One who can keep us lifted above these difficult times. Is it because we become too attached to our problems or is it just a lack of faith? Whatever the situation may be; we definitely need to let go of those broken down crutches and begin anew, by putting our full weight on God. As I sit and work on my daybed, in the office each day, I have about 1/3 of a wall that is covered in photos; that mean so much to me…and is definitely a reminder to me; that God is always there for me. As I sit here each day and look straight ahead into all these inspiring photos…I also see writings that God has given to me personally over the years…along with one other very special photo. This photo tells the story of a boy who appears to be very weak. On the other side of the boy…Jesus has got His arm around him, as the boy leans back on Jesus. When I first got the picture and began to really study it; I began to see that Jesus was not only helping this boy…but by the colors of the photo, I also began to see how Jesus was bringing the boy out of the darkness, into the light. No matter what we face in life or no matter how difficult the week; there truly is a God, who is more than strong enough, for us to lean on…and He longs so much, to walk us out of the darkness and into the light of His loving presence. All we need to do; is quit leaning on our problems and allow God to carry us through these weak moments…and I know from experience; that a time will come, when we will be brought into the light of the One, who will continue to be everything…for everything we need!Blessings on your day!It’s Always & Only Because of Him…Diane​

Hello everyone! Happy Thursday and welcome today, to Moments Spent with God…through the Risen Hope Ministries! I pray that your day is off to a good start and that you are truly experiencing the loving touch of God in your day!Yesterday was one of those days, where I truly felt as if my faith was being put to the test. You know…it’s so easy to memorize Bible verses or even talk about the things we learn through God’s word; but I have found that we truly pass the test, when we are actually able to live out the words we read and memorize. One thing I can say about yesterday was that it was a non-stop day! I began my day at 3:30 am and it never ended, until after 9:00 pm. I think the verse that kept popping up in my mind the most was Philippians 4:13, which says that “I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me?” You know…we can say that Jesus is our strength or we can say Jesus will help us through anything and that we can do it all because of His strength; but what about the times, when everything has crumbled down around us and life seems to be out of control? Do we still feel that Jesus will take control of our weaknesses and exchange them for His perfect strength? Do we know 100% that Jesus will allow us to go beyond, what we feel is our limitations, to keep pursuing everything that needs to get done and still remain strengthened?Over time, I have learned to always keep pursuing because Jesus will always be there to add…to what we may lack for the moment. You know…we will never know how limitless Jesus’ strength is, when we are giving into our weaknesses. Isn’t it amazing how tiredness…pain or any other form of weakness can attempt to convince us; that we are never going to make it?You know what I enjoy the most about a busy day…is the end of the day because I can sit quietly and look back on the day and really see where Jesus stepped in and brought me through a difficult moment. In fact, I have had nights, where I am talking with Jesus before bed…and it’s as though I finally collapse and let go of my day because I will look up to Jesus picture on the wall and say… “Thank you…thank you…thank you…I could have never made it through all that happened in this day without you!” You know…we all face at least one form of weakness in our lives…if not more; but we will never come out those moments of weakness and experience a limitless strength that comes from a powerful God, when we are sitting around…giving into these weaknesses. Today, we need to experience, what I call a “wow factor” in our lives…a time, when we look back on a weak moment and see how a powerful God replaced that weakness with an awesome strength…one that we could never experience of our own self…and the only way we are going to witness moments like these in our lives; is when we are willing to not only read God’s word; but allow it to come alive, within our own lives.Blessings on your day!It’s Always & Only Because of Him…Diane​

Hello everyone! Happy Wednesday and welcome to Moments Spent with God…through the Risen Hope Ministries! I am so happy to have you here with me today and I pray that as you walk through your day; that you will truly feel the love that God has for you today!Talking about love…last night, I posted a thought on Twitter; that goes a little like this… “Did you know that God created you, just so He could love you? When you feel like no one cares, just remember how special you are in His eyes!”Sometimes, I don’t think that we fully understand the love that God truly has for us. You know…it’s so easy to get caught up, in the kind of love we experience here on earth; that sometimes, it’s not always easy to imagine that there can actually be a perfect love…a love that never ceases to love us.Can you imagine a God, who creates us…just so He can love us? I don’t know about you; but I don’t see that kind of love here on earth. When we think about a God, who creates people…just so He can love them; that should definitely make us all feel pretty special in His eyes.You know…I remember a time, when I felt as if God could never love me because I had been emotionally made to feel like a piece of nothing, due to abuse and a dysfunctional home life. In fact, the definition of love that was taught to me growing up was done through anger. At the age of 5 years old, I was being molested by my grandfather and I hadn’t been able to tell my parents…let alone understand what was going on. Anyways…there was an incident that took place in the yard, in which my father took me inside and had stripped me of my clothes and beat me with a weeping willow switch, until I had welts on my behind. Later, my parents would say that they were doing this because they loved me. One thing I could never understand; was how something like this could ever represent love. Since those difficult days of growing up…I have now found a love that doesn’t abuse me…a love that only longs to bring peace and contentment into my life and I know that I can trust God’s love. Even though there have been times, when His love seemed to be a little tougher than other times; I came to see that this tough love was leading me closer to Him…and further away from the past moments of deep pain and heartache.Today, you too may feel that no one could ever love you. Maybe you have gone through difficult times that no one else could ever understand. Remember one thing today…God made you…just so He could love and care for you…and that you could be His very own. All He’s asking in return; is that you would give His love a try. From my own experiences with God…I can truly say…without a doubt; that God’s love is very real…a love that will never cease to exist or even walk away from you; but instead, His love will continue to draw you closer to Him.No matter what you’re facing today…you don’t have to walk these difficult paths alone because there is a God who loves you so much; that He is willing to come down to your level and walk those difficult paths with you. Today, I would encourage you; to just turn to a love that will become the greatest love you could ever experience…a love that will truly make you feel special, in the eyes of God!Blessings on your day!It’s Always & Only Because of Him…Diane​

Hello everyone! Happy Tuesday and welcome today, to Moments Spent with God…through the Risen Hope Ministries! I pray that your day is going well and that you will truly feel the presence of God…walking close beside you throughout the day!Today, my thoughts have been on the word “trust.” I’m sure that we all deal with a lack of trust…due to something that has happened in our lives. For me, I’ve had problems trusting people all my life because it seemed that every time I trusted someone…it was only followed by a deep embedded pain, within the heart.When I grew up, I thought that my grandparents were the ones that I could trust completely…that is until my grandfather molested me. From there, I thought I could trust my parents love, until that became a dysfunctional mess. Then there were boyfriends, who said that they would never hurt me and that was only for a short time, before they did hurt me. You know…we all have issues of trust…to some degree but what really puzzles me; is why do we put so much effort, into trusting people? I will never forget the moment, when it was as though my eyes…mind and heart were completely opened by God. It was as if He was saying to me… “Diane, why do you feel the need to trust man, when I am the only One you need to put your trust in?” This moment actually became a “wow factor” in my life and ever since that moment, I have found life to be much easier…just by trusting God alone.As I’ve been sitting here today…thinking on what God has placed upon my heart to write; I came across a Bible verse in Jeremiah 17:5, which reads… “Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord.Do we realize today; that when we lean on man and attempt to place our trust in a person; that these are the moments that make us distant from God? Today, we need to place our trust in a God, who can accomplish everything we need in this life and if we are working hard to trust in man, rather than God; then we are missing out, on what God can truly do for us…just by simply trusting Him.There is one thing that has truly brought peace and contentment into my life and that is just knowing that I only have to trust God and Him alone.I no longer feel the need to trust in many people…only One God…the God that can truly be everything, for everything I need.So let me ask you a question, as I close this writing. Are you totally drained, from feeling the need to trust in people who have let you down? Why not simply put your trust in a God, who will never let you down; but will always be the One to lift you up. I have come to see that life is less complicated, when I turn my trust, in the direction of a God, who will never fail me…hurt me…or forsake me. No matter what you are experiencing in life right now; just know that God can be trusted. He will hold you close and take care of everything in your life…that is, if you are willing to let go of everyone and everything, except for Him.Blessings on your day!It’s Always & Only Because of Him…Diane​